Santa Ana River Parkway Extension Project Section 5.0 5.4 CULTURAL RESOURCES This section describes the existing paleontological, archaeological, and historic resources known to exist in the project area; potential environmental impacts; recommended mitigation measures to reduce or avoid impacts to identified paleontological, archaeological, and historic resources; and the significance determination after the incorporation of mitigation. The analysis in this section was summarized from the Santa Ana River Parkway Project – Cultural Resources Assessment (AECOM 2014b). This report is included as Appendix F of this Draft EIR. 5.4.1 EXISTING CONDITIONS The project area is located on Black Star Canyon and Prado Dam United States Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5-minute quadrangle maps (USGS 2012a and USGS 2012b, respectively) within the City of Yorba Linda and unincorporated Orange County, California. The project site is located on unsectioned land of the former Yorba family land grants of Canon de Santa Ana, Santiago de Santa Ana, and Lomas de Santiago. 5.4.1.1 Geological Setting The proposed project is located in the Santa Ana Canyon or Santa Ana Narrows. The canyon and riverbed were created by tectonic activity of the Elsinore-Whittier Fault, at the north end of the Peninsular Range. The Santa Ana River (SAR) marks the dividing line between the Santa Ana Mountains and the Chino Hills. The Santa Ana Narrows were formed as a result of the faulting that formed the Chino Hills and Santa Ana Mountains. The topography both channels the river water and forces it to the surface. The faulting has also uplifted and exposed beds of sedimentary rock dating from the Cretaceous to the Neogene Periods. Refer to Section 5.5 (Geology and Soils) of this Draft EIR for a complete description of the geologic setting. 5.4.1.2 Cultural Setting The project footprint falls within three land grants: Canon de Santa Ana, Santiago de Santa Ana, and Lomas de Santiago. The SAR was used as a territorial marker in these land grants (Friis 1982). All of these belonged to members of the Yorba family. The Bryant family purchased the project area from the Yorba family in the 19th century, and it remained active as ranchland and orchards into the middle 20th century. Most of the project footprint is within the Rancho Canon de Santa Ana. The project area is located at what is now the boundary between three counties: Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside. The western boundary of the project footprint is roughly 4 miles east of the original center of the City of Yorba Linda in Orange County. The eastern boundary is approximately 6 miles west of the original center of the City of Corona in Riverside County. The Santa Ana Narrows were an important source for irrigation water. The Santa Ana Narrows lie in an area of rich soil and abundant waters that may have made this area desirable during the prehistoric and historic periods. The entire project area lies on the banks of the SAR in a place where it is geologically restricted in its movement. The Cajon Canal was built in the vicinity of the project footprint to divert water from the SAR beginning in 1875. Santa Ana Canyon’s place as a significant pass between the Chino Hills and the Santa Ana Mountains made it an important thoroughfare. In the 1880s, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad opened a line connecting Riverside and San Diego through the Santa Ana Canyon (LAH 1887). This railroad line also OC Parks On-Call Agreement OCP12-018\60305442-Santa Ana Parkway Project 5.4-1 December 2015 Santa Ana River Parkway Extension Project Section 5.0 made bulk transit of rock profitable, and allowed the opening of gypsum mines in a side canyon to Santa Ana Canyon (LAH 1891). 5.4.2 THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE Based upon the thresholds contained in Appendix G of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, implementation of the project would result in a significant adverse impact related to cultural resources if it would: Directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic feature. Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of an archaeological resource pursuant to §15064.5. Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource as defined in §15064.5. Disturb any human remains, including those interred outside of formal cemeteries. 5.4.3 METHODOLOGY RELATED TO CULTURAL RESOURCES 5.4.3.1 Paleontological Resources A search for paleontological records was completed by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) on October 1, 2013, to determine the level of paleontological sensitivity within the project area. A follow-up field survey was also conducted of the project area. 5.4.3.2 Archaeological and Historic Resources The cultural resources investigation for the proposed project involved archival research and a field survey. Archival research was conducted on September 12, 2013 at the Eastern Information Center housed at the University of California, Riverside, and at the San Bernardino County Archaeological Information Center housed at the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands, and on September 23, 2013, at the South Central Coastal Information Center housed at California State University, Fullerton. The research focused on the identification of previously recorded cultural resources within a 0.5-mile radius of the proposed project footprint. Archival research involved review of cultural resources site records, historic maps, and historic site and building inventories. The National Register of Historic Places database and listings for the California State Historic Resources Inventory (HRI) and the California Historical Landmarks Register were examined to determine whether any resources in this radius were listed in or had been determined eligible for these registers. The California Point of Historical Interest, California Register of Historical Resources and Riverside County Historic Landmarks also were reviewed for resources located within or adjacent to the project site. In addition, a letter was prepared and mailed to the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) on October 2, 2013. The letter requested that a Sacred Lands File check be conducted for the project and that contact information be provided for Native American groups or individuals who may have concerns about cultural resources in the project area. A cultural resources field survey of the project components including a 25-meter buffer from the centerline of existing trails and around staging areas (approximately 96 acres) was conducted on January OC Parks On-Call Agreement OCP12-018\60305442-Santa Ana Parkway Project 5.4-2 December 2015 Santa Ana River Parkway Extension Project Section 5.0 13 and 14, 2014. A pedestrian survey was conducted within all accessible portions of the project site. Short segments were inaccessible due to fencing or active construction not associated with this project; these areas were investigated to the extent possible. The cultural resources survey included identification of archaeological and built-environment resources. 5.4.4 POTENTIAL IMPACTS 5.4.4.1 Paleontological Resources Directly or Indirectly Destroy a Unique Paleontological Resource or Site or Unique Geologic Feature The records search indicated that no known (to the NHMLAC) vertebrate fossil localities exist within the proposed project area boundaries (McLeod 2013). However, there are potentially fossil-bearing deposits nearby. The records search and comparison to the Geologic Atlas of California – Santa Ana Sheet (Rogers 1965) determined that mapped surficial deposits in the entirety of the project area are younger Quaternary alluvium related to the SAR. Due to their age (less than 10,000 years old), younger Quaternary deposits are unlikely to contain fossils. However, younger Quaternary alluvium often overlies older Quaternary alluvium at varying depths. These older deposits may contain significant fossils. Just north of the project area, at NHMLAC fossil locality LACM 1207, such older Quaternary alluvium yielded a fossil specimen of deer (Odocoileus). In addition, fossiliferous deposits are known to occur in the elevated terrain to the north and south of the project area. Rocks of the late Oligocene or early Miocene Sespe and Vaqueros Formations, the middle Miocene Topanga Formation, the Eocene Santiago Formation, the Paleocene Silverado Formation, and the late Cretaceous Williams and Ladd Formations are found in the elevated terrain south of State Route (SR) 91. In the elevated terrain north of the project area are exposures of the late Oligocene or early Miocene Sespe and Vaqueros Formations, as well as the middle Miocene Topanga Formation and the late Miocene Puente Formation. All of these formations, with the exception of the Williams Formation, have known (to the NHMLAC) fossil localities (McLeod 2013). Although no paleontological resources were identified within the project footprint during the course of the background research and cultural resources field survey, potentially significant buried paleontological resources may exist in the project area which could be disturbed during project construction. 5.4.4.2 Archaeological and Historic Resources Cause a Substantial Adverse Change in the Significance of an Archaeological Resource or a Historical Resource or Disturb Any Human Remains (including those interred outside of formal cemeteries) Archaeological and Historic Resource Surveys within a 0.5-mile of the Project Site The record search revealed that 47